Jefferies, the global investment bank, and AlixPartners, the global business advisory firm, have announced the findings of their new joint study, “Trouble in Aisle 5,” which finds that the traditional food-at-home vertical, which is already facing trouble, is likely to see its challenges accelerate over the next few years. The study, which included a survey […]
Category: Industry News
Posted in, Marketing News, Southwest
Associated Food Stores Surpasses $2B in Sales
During Associated Food Stores’ annual meeting, the company reported to its members an increase in sales and profits during the 2012 fiscal year. Associated Food Stores increased total sales by $88.8 million, or 4.6 percent, surpassing the $2 billion mark. Members of the cooperative also were able to enjoy an increase in patronage dividends of […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
A Consumer Take On Food, Beverage Packaging
From purchase off the shelf through consumption, packaging for food and beverages evolves to intersect with consumer needs and priorities. Food and beverage categories and brands have benefited significantly when manufacturers and retailers have managed to fuse packaging innovation with emerging consumer trends. To further take advantage of the dynamic environment, according to “Food and […]
Posted in, Center Store, Midwest, Perishables, Suppliers
Spartech Expanding Muncie Plant, Adding 30 Jobs
Plastic packaging products maker Spartech will expand its packaging facility in Muncie, Ind., and will add 32 jobs at the plant. The Muncie plant, which was just one of several facilities Spartech considered for the upgrades, has been a part of the Muncie community since 1984 when it opened as part of Ball Plastics. Purchased […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National, Northeast
Frito-Lay Sales Associates Honored As PepsiCo’s Top Sales Performers Worldwide
PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division congratulates its 42 U.S.- and Canadian-based sales associates who were recently honored as PepsiCo’s top sales performer in a ceremony held earlier this month at PepsiCo global headquarters in Purchase, N.Y. The honorees are among 226 sales people in 2012 inducted into the company’s “President’s Ring of Honor,” which was […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, Southeast
Pepsi Bottling Seeks Incentives For Winston-Salem Expansion
Pepsi Bottling Ventures is seeking up to $1 million in incentives from the city of Winston-Salem, N.C., to help expand its sales and distribution operations, the Winston-Salem Journal reports. Local officials told the newspaper that if Winston-Salem is selected for the expansion, the company plans to invest close to $80 million in a move that […]
Posted in, Perishables, West
Fresh & Easy’s ‘Kitchen To Go’ Caters to Busy Customers
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has launched its new “Kitchen To Go” products, including more than 150 chef-created appetizers, side dishes and entrees, including meal bowls. The “Kitchen To Go” items, ready to heat and serve, are made for one or two people. Fresh & Easy’s chefs came up with meals based on seasonal flavors. […]
Posted in, Northeast, Perishables
‘Old Croc’ Australian Aged Cheddar Adds Bold Flavor to Cheese Case
A new line of vintage Australian cheddar cheeses has been launched in the U.S. under the Old Croc brand name. The cheeses, featuring the playful warning, “Careful. It Bites!”, are being introduced by Millburn, N.J.-based Trugman-Nash, an affiliate of MCT Dairies, a supplier of cheese and dairy ingredients that also is based in Millburn. The […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Safeway Expands Reusable Shipping Container Use to Produce
Safeway has transitioned to using reusable product containers (RPCs), rather than corrugated boxes, to ship many types of produce from the farm fields, through the distribution channel and to final store destination. This transition eliminated the use of more than 17 million pounds of corrugated boxes. Safeway, which has introduced a broad range of successful […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
UltraFreshSystem Packaging Available for Fresh-Cut Produce
South Carolina-based packaging company Sonoco, California-based manufacturer Paper Pak Industries and packaging and St. Louis-based supplies distribution company Bunzl Distribution have introduced the UltraFreshSystem for packaging fresh-cut produce. The UltraFreshSystem features a custom-designed, thermoformed Sonoco tray combined with an UltraZapXtendaPak food safety pad from Paper Pak Industries. The tray includes an insert to channel liquid […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Data Highlights Most Frequent New Product On-Package Claims In Food, Beverage Industry
New data from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) has spotlighted the most frequent health-focused on-package claims for new products in the food and beverage industry. For 2011, topping the list was “kosher,” which appeared on 27 percent of new products, more than twice as often as the second most common claim, “all natural product.” […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National, Southeast
Fresh Market Founder, Family and Execs to Sell 10M Shares
The Fresh Market Inc. founder Ray Berry and six other existing stockholders are selling off about 10 million shares of common stock, reducing their ownership stakes, The Business Journal reports. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing from the Greensboro-based specialty grocer, the selling stockholders include Berry; his son Brett Berry, the former CEO […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Prevalence Of Private Label Products—Part Of The ‘New Normal’
The just completed wave of shopper research on private label usage conducted by Perception Research Services (PRS), shows the vast majority of shoppers still purchase some private label products on a regular basis (86 percent—on par with the 84 percent seen in November 2010). This is true across income groups and other types of classification. […]
Posted in, Marketing News, Southwest
United Supermarkets’ Red Hot Summer Game Features Millions In Prizes
More than $12 million in prizes and money-saving offers—including a guaranteed $250,000 grand prize winner—will be up for grabs during United Supermarkets’ 2012 Red Hot Summer Game. This year’s game launches its 13-week run today at 44 participating locations of United Supermarkets, Market Street and Amigos in Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Texas, and surrounding […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, Southeast
Coke Among Most Valuable Brands
Atlanta remains home to three of the world’s most valuable brands, including Coke—and those brands’ values are still growing. According to a study by annual BrandZ study by market researcher Millward Brown, The Coca-Cola Co., UPS and The Home Depot are among the 100 most valuable brands on earth. The Atlanta Business Journal reports that […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Marketing News, Midwest
LiveAisle Signage Can Give Small Grocers Big-Store Sales Appeal
Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions has introduced low-cost shelf signage that enables grocers and small supermarket chains to advertise sales at the shelf-level with the same degree of professionalism as retailing giants. Avery Dennison LiveAisle™ shelf solutions consist of shelf talkers, markers, end cap talkers, violators and wobblers. The signage has a unique product […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, National, Suppliers
U.S. Bottled Water Consumption Increases 4.1 Percent
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), in conjunction with Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC), has released 2011 bottled water statistics, compiled by BMC, a research, consulting and financial services firm dedicated to the global beverage industry. The new BMC data shows the overall consumption of bottled water has increased by 4.1 percent, building on 2010’s solid […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, National
Court Affirms POM’s Right To Inform Consumers Of Products’ Health Benefits
In a 335-page ruling, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) administrative law judge has upheld POM Wonderful’s right to share valuable, scientifically validated information about the health benefits of its safe food with consumers. Since 1996, POM has been committed to studying the health benefits of the pomegranate, investing more than $35 million to support scientific […]
Posted in, Perishables, Southeast, Southwest
No Time 2 Cook Dishes Now Available In Central Markets
No Time 2 Cook, makers of fine frozen “scratch” Cajun and Southern specialties, has announced that its Homemade Chicken Pot Pie and Squash Supreme have been picked up by H-E-B’s Central Market stores in Texas, the company’s first major retailer in that market. No Time 2 Cook began seven years ago as a cottage industry […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, Marketing News, Midwest, National, Southwest, Whole Foods
Caddell: NARMS/IFBA Readies for a New Beginning
By Terrie Ellerbee/associate editor The National Association for Retail Merchandising Services (NARMS) is moving its base of operations from Wisconsin to Colorado, making changes to headquarters staff, assessing the services it offers and looking ahead to its own future as sales move into alternative channels. Tom Caddell, NARMS International executive director, spoke to The Shelby […]